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Let me tell you, as someone who's been covering Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've seen my fair share of incredible PBA Finals moments. But what unfolded in Game 3 between the underdog squad and the San Miguel Behemoth was something truly special. I remember sitting courtside, feeling the electricity in the arena as these teams clashed in what many are already calling an instant classic. The narrative was compelling enough on paper - here was a team that had already accomplished so much this season, just two wins shy of completing the elusive Grand Slam against a San Miguel side anchored by none other than June Mar Fajardo, the undisputed Best Player of the Conference.
What made this matchup particularly fascinating from my perspective was the personnel mismatch. Watching the coaching staff try to devise strategies to contain Fajardo with limited defensive options reminded me of those classic David versus Goliath stories we rarely see in modern basketball. I've studied countless game tapes, and I can tell you that planning for Fajardo is like preparing for a natural disaster - you know it's coming, but you're never quite ready for the impact. The numbers don't lie - Fajardo was averaging 28.3 points and 15.7 rebounds coming into this game, and yet somehow, this undermanned squad found ways to make this contest competitive.
The first jaw-dropping moment came late in the second quarter when their backup center, who'd been averaging just 4.2 points all conference, somehow managed to block Fajardo not once, but twice on the same possession. I was literally on my feet screaming - you just don't see that happen to the Kraken, especially not from a player who'd been mostly riding the bench all season. The arena erupted in a way I haven't witnessed since the 2016 finals, and I could feel the momentum shifting in real time. Then came what I consider the turning point - with 3:47 left in the third, their point guard, who stands at just 5'8", drove straight into the heart of the defense and finished over Fajardo with a reverse layup that defied physics. I've rewatched that play seventeen times since last night, and I still can't figure out how he got that shot to fall.
What impressed me most wasn't just the individual heroics though - it was how they managed to execute their game plan despite the obvious talent disparity. They rotated three different players on Fajardo throughout the game, sacrificing fouls strategically and forcing other SMB players to beat them. The statistics showed they committed 28 personal fouls, with 18 of those specifically against Fajardo, which sounds reckless until you see how it disrupted San Miguel's offensive flow. From where I was sitting, you could see the frustration building on the SMB bench as their role players struggled to convert open looks.
The fourth quarter delivered three more moments that will be replayed for years to come. There was the sequence where they forced four consecutive turnovers against the usually unflappable SMB backcourt, leading to 8 quick points that brought them within striking distance. Then came the controversial no-call with 1:12 remaining where Fajardo appeared to be fouled on a potential game-tying basket - I've got to be honest, from my angle it looked like clean defense, though I understand why SMB fans are furious about it. The final moment, the one that sealed the victory, came from their veteran shooting guard who'd been ice-cold all night, draining a 28-foot three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left that essentially ended the game.
What struck me about that game-winning shot wasn't just the distance or the timing, but the sheer audacity of taking it. This was a player who'd gone 2-for-11 from beyond the arc in the series up to that point, and yet he had the confidence to launch from what I'd call "unreasonable range" with the championship on the line. That's the kind of moment that separates playoff heroes from regular season stars. The final numbers showed they shot just 42% from the field compared to SMB's 48%, but they won the turnover battle 16-9 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds despite Fajardo's presence in the paint.
Looking back on this game, I'm convinced we witnessed something historic. The way they managed to overcome their personnel limitations through sheer will and strategic ingenuity was a coaching masterpiece. While they're still facing an uphill battle against a powerhouse like San Miguel, games like this remind me why I fell in love with covering basketball - because sometimes, the heart and intelligence of a team can overcome even the most daunting physical disadvantages. If they can maintain this level of execution and courage, we might be looking at one of the greatest upsets in PBA finals history.